Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastic concentrations in beach sediments along the German Baltic coast

Researchers measured microplastic contamination on beaches along the German Baltic coast near river estuaries and tracked seasonal variation over several months, finding contamination at all sites. The study highlights that river mouths are hotspots for microplastic deposition on coastal beaches.

2015 Marine Pollution Bulletin 500 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance, Distribution and Drivers of Microplastic Contaminant in Urban River Environments

Researchers surveyed microplastic distribution in urban river environments and identified key drivers of accumulation hotspots, finding that land use, hydrology, and infrastructure factors concentrated microplastics at predictable locations that could inform targeted management interventions.

2018 Preprints.org 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in floodplain soils along the rhine river in germany

Researchers characterized microplastic pollution in floodplain soils along the Rhine River in Germany, focusing on this understudied habitat at the interface of terrestrial and freshwater systems to understand how rivers act as vectors for microplastic transport and deposition.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Mud and organic content are strongly correlated with microplastic contamination in a meandering riverbed

Researchers found that microplastic concentration in river sediments is strongly correlated with mud and organic content, with riverbank areas showing concentrations about ten times higher than the main channel. The study suggests that sediment composition and river flow dynamics play a key role in where microplastics accumulate within riverbeds.

2024 Communications Earth & Environment 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Riverbed depth-specific microplastics distribution and potential use as process marker

Researchers examined the depth-specific distribution of microplastics in riverbed sediments, finding that particle concentration and type varied significantly with sediment depth. The findings suggest that riverbeds act as significant microplastic sinks, with deeper layers representing older accumulation zones.

2024 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence, distribution and sources of microplastics in beach sediments of Miri coast, NW Borneo

Researchers characterized microplastic pollution in the surface sediments of 10 European rivers, detecting particles at all sites with concentrations ranging from 14 to 895 particles per kilogram of dry sediment. Urban rivers showed the highest contamination levels.

2022 Chemosphere 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic distribution and their abundance along rivers are determined by land uses and sediment granulometry

Researchers studied two river watersheds and found that microplastics were widespread in both water and sediment, with concentrations in water rising alongside increased urban land use. Interestingly, microplastics trapped in sediment were more influenced by the grain size of the riverbed than by human activity. The findings suggest that both human factors and natural river characteristics work together to shape where microplastics end up in freshwater systems.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic distribution and characteristics across a large river basin: Insights from the Neuse River in North Carolina, USA

Researchers characterized microplastic distribution across the Neuse River Basin in North Carolina, finding microplastics in both water and sediment at all sampling locations, with concentrations influenced by land use and proximity to urban areas.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Why analysing microplastics in floodplains matters: application in a sedimentary context

This study examined microplastic distribution and accumulation in floodplain areas of Germany, finding that floodplains trap and concentrate microplastics during flood events and serve as long-term storage sites. Floodplains are an important but underappreciated environmental compartment for microplastic accumulation that can release particles back into rivers during future floods.

2020 Environmental Science Processes & Impacts 52 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Pollution in Benthic Midstream Sediments of the Rhine River

Microplastic concentrations, compositions, and transport dynamics were characterized in Rhine River sediments, showing that fine sediments act as significant temporary sinks and that particle retention varies by sediment compartment.

2019 Environmental Science & Technology 231 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic distribution in a meandering river bed and its sedimentary predictors

Researchers investigated microplastic distribution patterns within a meandering riverbed and identified sedimentary predictors of microplastic accumulation, advancing understanding of within-channel spatial variability that affects large-scale pollution quantification. The study found that specific geomorphological features of meandering channels are strong predictors of local microplastic hotspots in riverbed sediments.

2024
Article Tier 2

Multi-method analysis of microplastic distribution by flood frequency and local topography in Rhine floodplains

Researchers used multiple analytical methods to examine how flood frequency and local topography influence microplastic distribution in Rhine River floodplains. The study found that floods can mobilize, transport, and redeposit microplastics in floodplain sediments, making these areas both temporary sinks and potential sources of microplastic pollution.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial analysis of riverine microplastic in a Rhine floodplain soil in Germany

Researchers mapped microplastic distribution in floodplain soils along Germany's Rhine River, finding that flood events spread microplastics far from the riverbank into surrounding land. This shows flooding can contaminate agricultural soils with microplastics, potentially entering food crops.

2021
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the Hamburg port area—an analysis of sediment depth profiles along the upper Elbe river, Germany

Researchers collected sediment depth profiles at seven sites in and around the Hamburg port area along the upper Elbe River, Germany, to analyze microplastic concentrations at different burial depths. Results characterize how the unique morphology and high anthropogenic pressure of port environments influence MP accumulation patterns and sediment depth distribution along one of Europe's major river systems.

2025 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic abundance in beach sediments of the Kiel Fjord

Researchers assessed microplastic abundance in beach sediments at three sites in Kiel Fjord, Germany, finding plastics at all locations including one near a sewage treatment plant. The study highlights how multiple sources — recreational use, wastewater discharge, and plastic litter — contribute to microplastic accumulation in coastal sediments.

2021 Publishing Network for Geoscientific and Environmental Data (PANGAEA) (Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research)
Article Tier 2

Microplastics profile along the Rhine River

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations along the Rhine River from source to sea, finding a downstream increase in abundance that reflected cumulative inputs from cities and tributaries, with the Rhine acting as a major conduit delivering plastics to the North Sea.

2015 Scientific Reports 967 citations
Article Tier 2

Meso- and microplastic distribution and spatial connections to metal contaminations in highly cultivated and urbanised floodplain soilscapes – a case study from the Nidda River (Germany)

Researchers mapped meso- and microplastic distribution in floodplain soils along the Nidda River in Germany and found spatial correlations with trace metal contamination. Results suggest that both plastics and metals accumulate together in sediment sinks, with urbanization and proximity to industrial sites driving contamination hotspots.

2022 Microplastics and Nanoplastics 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Riverine microplastic contamination in southwest Germany: A large-scale survey

A large-scale survey of microplastic contamination across multiple rivers in southwest Germany found that contamination increased from headwaters to lowland sections and was elevated downstream of urban areas and wastewater treatment plant discharges. Fibers dominated in all rivers, and the study highlighted rivers as both pathways and temporary sinks for microplastics.

2022 Frontiers in Earth Science 40 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in sediments of the river Rhine—A workflow for preparation and analysis of sediment samples from aquatic river systems for monitoring purposes

Researchers developed a workflow for preparing and analysing river sediment samples for microplastic monitoring using density separation followed by thermal extraction desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Analysis of Rhine River sediments identified polyethylene and styrene-butadiene rubber as dominant polymers, with total polymer masses ranging from 1.18 to 337.0 µg/g and highest MP concentrations found at low-flow sites such as harbours and reservoirs.

2023 Applied Research 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance, Distribution, and Drivers of Microplastic Contamination in Urban River Environments

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in sediments from the River Tame and its tributaries flowing through Birmingham, UK, finding microplastics in every sample at an average of 165 particles per 100 grams. The study identified urban density, wastewater treatment plant proximity, and river hydrodynamics as key drivers of microplastic accumulation hotspots in urban rivers.

2018 Water 328 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and spatial distribution of microplastics in sediments from Norderney

Researchers surveyed sediments from Norderney in the North Sea and found widespread microplastic contamination, documenting spatial distribution patterns and particle characteristics across this tidally influenced coastal environment.

2014 Environmental Pollution 608 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of microplastics on nutrients and metal concentrations in river sediments

Researchers investigated how microplastics influence nutrient and metal concentrations in river sediments, finding that microplastics alter the distribution of pollutants through their capacity to adsorb contaminants and support biofilm formation on their hydrophobic surfaces.

2020 Environmental Pollution 64 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and transport of microplastics across the streambed interface during bank filtration

Researchers assessed microplastic occurrence and spatial distribution across surface water, riverbed sediments, and groundwater at two German lowland river sites -- the Teltow Canal and the Havel -- under bank filtration conditions, collecting monthly surface water and quarterly groundwater samples over one year alongside sediment freeze cores to 100 cm depth, analyzed by near-infrared spectroscopy.

2025
Article Tier 2

Characteristics and Distribution of Microplastics in Shoreline Sediments of the Yangtze River, Main Tributaries and Lakes in China—From Upper Reaches to the Estuary

Scientists measured microplastic concentrations in sediments along 54 sites spanning the Yangtze River system in China, from the upper reaches to the estuary. Microplastics were found throughout, with higher concentrations near urban and industrial areas, showing how large rivers distribute plastic pollution across vast distances.

2021 Research Square (Research Square) 1 citations